Electromagnetic counter unit



Jan. 2, 1940. B. cooPER ELECTROMAGNETIC COUNTER UNI! Filed Jan. '4, 1937 4\ III llallilllil r INVENTOIR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 2, 1940 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to electromagnetic counter units and supports therefor.

, An object of this invention is to provide a unit of the character described, comprising a pair of electromagnets on a common frame for actuating separate sets of figured wheels mounted on a single shaft supported by the frame,-the magnets being so arranged as to make for a compact and rugged construction.

A further object of this invention is to provide a unit and support of the character described, including highly improved means for removably mounting the unit on the support, to permit quick replacement of units on said support.

Another object of this inventionis to provide in an electromagnetic unit of the character described, highly improved pawl and ratchet means, including a coil spring for maintaining a pawl member in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet and adapted tobe compressed during operation of the unit.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements,

and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

' In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an electromagnetic counter unit embodying the invention designates an electromagnetic counter unit embodying the invention and II designates an improved support for said unit. A part only of the 50 support II is shown on the drawing, the support being elongated and contructed to support a plurality or bank of units'lll disposed side by side. Said support comprises a horizontally extending plate l2 disposed in a vertical plane formed 55 with a horizontal through opening I3. The same may also be formed with a vertical screwthreaded opening l4 communicating with opening I3 and having a countersunk portion ii at the top.

Fixed to the member i2 are a plurality of 6 horizontal pins I 6 and ll arranged above and below the opening I3 and on opposite sides thereof. The pins i6 and I1 project beyond the front surface [9 of the member l2. Fixed to the top of the member I2 is a horizontal insulating plate 10 20, having an opening 2| registering with the countersunk opening l5. Attached to the insu'lating plate 20 are a plurality of spade terminals 22, to which wiring 22a maybeflxed.

Within the threaded opening I4 is a screw 23 15 having a tapered lower end portion 24. The screw 23 is of such length that when fully screwed down within the opening the lowerytapered end 24 thereof will'project into the opening l3 and the head thereof into countersunk portion .IS. 20

The unit In comprises a frame 25 having a vertical wall portion 26 and a horizontal wall portion 21, welded or otherwise permanently secured thereto. Fixed to the top of the frame and at substantially the level of plate 20, is a 25 horizontal plate 28 formed with a plurality of through openings 29, for the purpose hereinafter appearing. There is also fixed to the rear wall 26, a jack pin 30, received within the opening l3. J

The pin 30 is formed at the top thereof with a 30 tapered opening 32 to receive the lower tapered end 24 of the screw 23. Said rear wall 26 of the frame is also formed with a pair of openings 34 to receive thepins l6 and ll of the support.

Thus, to mount the frame on the support I2, 85

the jack pin 30 is inserted in the opening IS in the support l2, and the screw 23 thereafter screwed down, whereby the tapered end thereof engages the tapered opening 32 of said pin to draw the pm inwardly within the openings for firmly securing the frame to the support. The tapered or conical opening 32 may-be somewhat larger than theitapered or conical screw end 24, as shown in exaggeration in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Extending from the wall 26 are a pair of parallel vertical wall portions or flanges 40 provided with aligned openings 4| below horizontal wall 21, supporting a shaft 42.. On said shaft 42 is a set of counter wheels 43 controlled by a 30 ratchet 44 disposed between walls 43, and a second pair of counter wheels 45 controlled by a ratchet wheel 46 disposed adjacent one of said walls 40. The counter wheels may be geared together through suitable gearing 41 on the shaft 48 likewise supported by and between the walls 46 of the frame. Supported by the frame walls 46- is a shaft 56, on which are mounted a pair of levers I aligned with and engaging the ratchets 44 and 46 to prevent retrograde movementthereof. Levers 5I may be held against the ratchets by springs 52 interposed between the upper ends of said levers and integral tab extensions 54 at the rear end of a horizontal wall 21 of the frame.

The rear end of the horizontal wall 21 of the frame is received between the parallel walls 46 and extends forwardly therefrom. Said wall is formed with downwardly extending flanges 21a, 21b. One flange 21a of said wall 21 is substantially straight. The other flange 21b of said wall is stepped, said wall being widest between walls 46, narrower as at 55 in front of walls 46 and narrowest at its outer end as at 56. Said horizontal wall is formed with a pair of offset through openings 66 and 6|, the former being closer to the straight flange 21a of the horizontal frame wall 21.

Mounted on the horizontal wall 21 of the frame 25 are a pair of similar partial housings or supports 62 and 63 for electro-magnets 64 and 65. The support or partial housing 62 comprises a bottom wall 66 and upstanding walls 61 and 68 parallel to the vertical wall 26 of the frame. The bottom wall 66 has a central opening 69 co-axial with the opening 6|. Extending through said openings 6|, 69 is a reduced screw-threaded stem 16 on the core H of the electro-magnet 64. A nut 15 screwed to the stem 16 and disposed in opening 6] serves to fix the electro-magnet on its support. A pair of screws 16 on opposite sides of the opening 6I serve to screw the bottom wall 66 of the support 62 to the frame wall 21.

Extending from the upper end of the wall 61 are a pair of parallel horizontal arms 11 disposed on opposite sides and adjacent the upper end of theelectro-magnet 64. The arms 11 are interconnected by a horizontal shaft 18 parallel to the wall 61. The wall 68 is shorter than the wall 61 and fixed thereto is a plate 86 having a pair of spaced, slotted ears 8| at the upper end thereof engaging the shaft 18. The support 62, as shown in the drawing, is spaced from the edge adjacent straight flange 21a of the frame wall 21, one side of said support being substantially flush with the inwardly stepped portion 55 of the frame wall.

The support 63 is substantially similar in construction to the support 62 and likewise comprises a bottom wall 66a and upstanding vertical walls 61a and 6811. The support is attached to the wall 21 by screws 16a and the bottom wall 66a thereof has a central opening 69:; co-axial with the opening 66 and receiving therethrough the stem 16a of the core 1 I a for the electro-magnet 65. A nut 15a disposed within the opening 66 and screwed to the stem 16a serves to fix the electromagnet 65 on its support 63. The upstanding wall 61a likewise has a pair of parallel horizontal arms 11a on opposite sides of the upper end of the electromagnet 65. The said arms 11a, are interconnected by shaft 18a. Fixed to the wall 68a. is a plate 86a having slotted hooks or cars 8Ia engaging the shaft 18a. The support 63, as shown in F1. 2 of the drawing, is offset with respect to the support 62 being closer to the straight side 21a of the frame wall 21. port 63 substantially overlies the narrow end portion, of the frame.

Pivoted on the shaft 18 is a bell crank 85 having a substantially flat horizontal armature arm It will be noted that the sup- 86 overlying the upper end of the magnet 64. The lever 85 has a pair of apertured cars 31 receiving the shaft 18 therethrough. Said bell crank lever 85 furthermore has a downwardly extending arm 89 disposed in a plane perpendicular to the frame wall 21 and vertical frame wall 26. The arm 89 extends below the frame wall 21 and adjacent the stepped portion 55, of said frame wall. Thus, although the arm 89 is spaced. from the stepped portion 55 of the wall 21, it nevertheless does not project beyond the adjacent vertical frame wall 46. The bell crank 85 is furthermore formed on the side thereof, opposite to the arm 89, with an car 96 connected to the support wall 61 by a coil tension spring 9I.

Mounted on the wall 86 is an insulating block 92 supporting a plurality of spring contacts 93.

On the arm 89 is an insulating button 94 adapted to engage one of said spring contacts to move the same relative to the others when the magnet 64 is energized. The lower end of arm 89 of said bell crank 85 is connected to pawl mechanism I66 for actuating the ratchet 46.

The pawl mechanism I66 comprises a swing plate I6I pivoted on shaft 42 adjacent one side of ratchet 46, and interconnected by link 89bto the arm 89. Pivoted on the swing plate I6I and contacting a side face thereof, and disposed in the plane of ratchet 46, is a small bell crank pawl lever I62 having a tooth I63 engaging within a notch I64 of the ratchet 46. The other arm I61 of the pawl lever I62 is bent at an angle into the plane of the plate I6 I. Said plate I6I is provided with an arm I69 carrying a fixed cup II6 spaced from and aligned with arm I61. On the arm I61 is a fixed pin II I aligned with the cup II6. A coil compression spring II2 has one end' received within the cup H6 and receives at its other end, said pin III.

When the electro-magnet 64 is deenergized, the spring 9| pulls the bell crank 85 in a counterclockwise direction, looking at Fig. 1 of the drawing, and causing the plate IM to be rotated on its axis in a clockwise direction, looking at Figs. 1 and 6 of thedrawing. In this position the tooth or arm I63 of the pawl lever I62 will be disposed within the notch I64 of the ratchet 46 engaging a tooth of said ratchet.

A jam member II4 mounted on and between the walls 46 serves to retain the pawl and ratchet in the position shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing and to prevent overthrow. When the electromagnet 64 is energized, however, the bell crank lever 35 will be rotated in a clockwise direction to cause rotation of the swing plate I 6| in a counter clockwise direction. During this movement the tooth I63 will slide on the ratchet tooth causing the pawl lever I62 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot, looking at Fig. 6 of the drawing, and causing compression of the spring II 2. However, when the tooth I63 clears the ratchet tooth, it will drop into the next notch I64 under action of compressed spring II2. When the electromagnet is deenergized, the bell crank moves in an opposite direction under the influence of spring 9|, causing the pawl or lever I62 to rotate the ratchet about the axis of shaft 42.

On shaft 18a is a bell crank lever 86a similar to the bell crank lever 85 and likewise having an armature arm overlying the upper end of the magnet 65 and an ear 96a connected to the wall 61a by coil tension spring 9Ia. The bell crank lever 85a likewise has an arm 89a extending below the wall 21 and disposed in a plane parallel to the plane of arm 39. The arm 69a, however, is offset with respect to the arm as being disposed adjacent the stepped narrow end 56 of the frame wall 21. On wall 80a is also an insulating block carrying a plurality of spring contacts adapted to be actuated by a button on the arm 89a.

To actuate the ratchet wheel 44, there is pro- H5 is disposed parallel to the link 89b and beneath the wall 21. The lower end of the arm 89:; may be bent inwardly toward the flange 21a and connected to the link by a pin I I6 carrying a spacer sleeve H1. I

The wiring I20 for the electromagnets may extend between the wall 61 of the support 62 and the wall 26 of the frame 25 and pass through the openings 29 of the insulating plate 28. Terminals PM at the ends of the wires I20 are adapted for quick or detachable connection to the spade terminals 22. Thus, if it is desired to remove the unit l0, it is merely necessary to disconnect the terminals I 2|, 22 and remove the screw 23 permitting the unit to be pulled away from the sup- Port l2. It will now be understood that where a plurality of units I0 are mounted in a bank on a I common support [2. they may be quickly replaced.

Theunits, furthermore, are compact whereby a relatively large number of such units mav be mounted in a relatively small space. It will be noted. furthermore, that the electromagnets 64. 65 are mounted on the same frame adjacent one another and operate different sets of counter wheels disposed on the same shaft su orted by said frame, thus making for a compact and rugged construction. In the pawl mechanism Hill. the compression spring I I2 which retains the pawl in engagement with the ratchet tooth will withstand considerable use without fatigue, and eliminates the usual strip spring which is normally subjected to bending and frictional contact. It will be noted that after the arm 89 has moved forwardly to rotate the ratchet 46, the pawl mechanism will be in the position shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing. In such position the outer edge of the pawl tooth I03 is in a vertical line passing through the axis of the-shaft 42 and contacts the radial edge of a tooth of the ratchet. The bottom edge of the pawl tooth I03 is at right angles to a vertical line passing through the axis of the shaft 42 and contacts an edge of the next adjacent tooth and is in alignment with the axis of the pawl "12.

It will be noted, furthermore, that the angle defined by lines passing through the axis of the shaft 42 and the axis of the pivotal connection between the link-89b and the plate "ii at the beginning of the ratchet actuating stroke, .as shown in Fig. 1, and at the end of the actuating stroke, as .hown in Fig. 6. is bisected by a vertical linepassing through the axis of the shaft 42. With such construction a maximum efficiency and driving force for the pawl mechanism is obtained.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

'As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limit: 1

ing sense. v

Having thus described'my invention, I claim as new my desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. Ah electromagnetic unit comprising a frame, a pair of parallel, vertical electromagnets mounted thereon, a horizontal shaft on said frame and below the lower ends of said electromagnets, a pair of ratchets 'on said shaft, bell cranks pivoted on said frame having armatures overlying the upper ends of said electromagnets, and arms extending downwardly beneath the electromagnets, 4

pawl mechanisms for actuating said ratchets and links connecting said mechanisms to said arms, said electromagnets overlapping one another longitudinally and perpendicularly of said shaft,

whereby said electromagnets are disposed at different perpendicular distances from said shaft, and the axes of said electromagnets are in spaced vertical planes perpendicular to said shaft, and said links being horizontal and parallel to one another, and the link for the electromagnet further from the shaft being longer than the other link and disposed directly beneath the other electromagnet.

2. An electromagnetic unit comprising a frame, a pair of parallel, vertical electromagnets mounted there'oma horizontal shaft on said frame and below said magnets, a pair of ratchets on said shaft, bell cranks pivoted on said frame having armatures overlying the upper ends of said electromagnets, and downwardly extending arms, and

pawl mechanisms for actuating said ratchets and 1 connected to said arms,,said electromagnets being offset from one another and overlapping longitudinally and perpendicularly of said shaft, said arms being in spaced parallel planes perpendicular to said shaft, one of said pawl mechanisms being connected to the arm of the bell crank for the electromagnetfurthest from the shaft by a link disposed below the other electromagnet.

3. An electromagnetic unit, comprising a frame having a horizontal wall, a vertical wall at rightangles to said horizontal wall, and a pair of parallel vertical flanges at right angles to said horizontal and vertical walls, a horizontal shaft supported by said flanges and disposed beneath said horizontal wall, a pair of spaced ratchets on said shaft, a pair of parallel vertical electromagnets on said horizontal wall of the frame, and means controlled by said magnets for actuating said ratchets, the axes of saidelectromagnets being disposed in spaced parallel planes perpendicular to said shaft, and at different distances from said shaft, the axis of one of said electromagnets being disposed between said shaft and said other electromagnet. I

4.' An electromagnetic unit comprising a frame having a horizontal wall, a vertical wall extending upwardly above said horizontal wall and at right angles thereto, and a pair of parallel vertical flanges disposed at right angles to said horizontal and vertical walls, a horizontal shaft supported on and between said flanges below said horizontal wall, a pair of spaced ratchets on said shaft, a pair of U-shaped members on said horizontal wall, each having a bottom wall contacting said horizontal wall and a pair of upstanding walls, a vertical electromagnet on each member between the upstanding walls thereof, and means pivoted on said members and controlled by said magnets for actuating said ratchets.

5. An electromagnetic unit comprising a frame having a horizontal wall, a vertical wall extending upwardly above said horizontal wall and at right angles thereto, and a pair of parallel vertical flanges disposed at right angles to said horizontal and vertical walls, a horizontal shaft supported on and between said flanges below said horizontal wall, a pair of spaced ratchets on said shaft, 2. pair of U-shaped members on said horizontal wall, each having a bottom wall contacting said horizontal wall and a pair of upstanding waf's, a vertical electromagnet on each member between the upstanding walls thereof, and means pivoted on said members and controlled by said magnets for actuating said ratchets, one of said electromagnets being closer to the vertical wallthan the other, and said electromagnets being offset one from the other.

6. An electromagnetic unit comprising a frame having a wall and supporting a shaft below said wall and parallel thereto, a pair of electromagnets on said wall perpendicular to said wall, the axes of said electromagnets being disposed in spaced parallel planes perpendicular to said'shaft and in spaced parallel planes parallel to said shaft, one of said magnets lying mainly between the other magnet and a plane passing through the shaft and perpendicular to said wall, spaced ratchets on said shaft, and means controlled by said electromagnets for actuating said ratchets.

7. In combination, a support formed with a horizontal upper edge and having an opening below said edge, and a screw thr aded vertical opening extending down from said edge at right angles to the first opening and communicating therewith. an electromagnetic unit comprising a frame supporting an electromagnet and having a pin receved within said first opening, said pin having a conical opening therein registering with the screw threaded opening, and a screw screwed within said screw threaded opening and having a conical end received within the conical opening of said openings, the wires of said electromagnetic unit being flexible and passing individually through the openings in said plate, terminals on the ends of said wires, terminals fixed to the upper edge of said support and insulated therefrom, substantially aligned with the openings in the insulating plate, whereby the terminals on the support and the corresponding terminals on said wires are disposed side by side, and cooperating, quickly de tachable attachment means accessible from the top for attaching the terminals on the wires to the terminals on said support, said attachment means being detachable without removing the unit from the support.

8. In combination, a support formed with a horizontal upper edge, and having an opening below said edge, and'a screw threaded vertical opening extending down from said edge at right angles to the first opening and communicating therewith, an electric unit comprising a frame, a pin on the frame received within said first opening, said pin having a conical opening therein registering with the screw threaded opening, a screw screwed within the screw threaded opening and having a conical end received within the conical opening of the pin, an insulating plate on said unit at substantially the level of the straight edge of said support and adjacent thereto, an

insulating plate on the upper edge of said support disposed in substantially a single plane with the first insulating plate, said first insulating plate being formed with openings, the wires for said unit being flexible and passing individually through said openings in said first insulating plate, terminals onthe ends of said wires, terminals fixed to said second insulating plate and substantially aligned with the openings in the first insulating plate, whereby the terminals on said second insulating plate and the corresponding terminals on said wires are disposed side by side, and cooperating, quickly detachable attachment means accessible from the top for attaching the terminals on the wires to the terminals on the second insulating plate, said attachment means being detachable without removing the unit from the support.

BENJAMIN COOPER. 

